//------------------------------// // Bedtime // Story: The Cuddle Dungeon // by Penalt //------------------------------// Celestia sat at the breakfast table and stared in wonder at the array of food spread around its surface. All of her favorite foods were there, and the combined scents of half a hundred delicacies from across Equestria and beyond, set her to near drooling. Luna sat across from her, covering a plate of pancakes in caramelized mango slices before drenching it with real Caneighdian maple syrup on top, and sliding it in front of Celestia. “Here you are, Sister,” Luna said, as she placed a steaming cup of breakfast tea beside the plate of sinful sweetness. Luna was smiling as she sat back down, but Celestia knew her sister too well not to see the sadness in those teal eyes she loved so much. “Luna, what’s wrong?” Celestia asked gently. “Something’s troubling you isn’t it?” “I’m sorry, sometimes I’m just reminded of how very much I love you,” Luna said, and Celestia could see her sister force herself to smile. “But enough melancholy, let us enjoy this wonderful repast together.” Celestia made as if to protest for a moment, but thought the better of it and dug into the plate before her, taking occasional sips of the excellent chamomile tea. The tea had a slight licorice aftertaste that lingered on her tongue, and Celestia was reminded of something, but could not place her hoof on it. A few minutes later, Kibitz came in. “Good morning, Princess Luna,” Kibitz said, and again Celestia picked up the discordant note of false cheer in his voice. “Here is the paperwork you wanted.” He placed an official looking document in front of Luna. “Thank you, Kibitz,” Luna said, looking at the document and nodding as her ears flattened themselves against her head. “Please ask them to come in.” “Luna, answer me,” Celestia said, and she heard her teacup clatter to the tabletop as it slipped from her magical grasp. “What is going on?” “I am putting a stop to the slow suffering of somepony I love,” Luna said, sliding the document in front of her sister. Celestia stared in shock as she read the words on the parchment declaring her unfit for duty due to illness, and felt a cool lethargy begin to spread over her limbs. “You can’t do this, Luna” Celestia insisted, as she tried to push herself away from the breakfast table, but her limbs refused to support her weight and she collapsed back onto the table. Celestia looked from her treacherous hooves to her equally treacherous sister and the memory of licorice in tea came back to her. Licorice could mask the taste of ketamine, a powerful sedative and one more than capable of keeping her from drawing on her magic. Celestia forced herself to keep her head steady as Luna came around the table carrying a bridle in her aura. The doors opened behind her and a group of guards came in, towing a box on wheels that was open at one end, revealing a padded interior more than large enough to hold an alicorn sized cargo. “Kibith,” Celestia garbled out, looking at her majordomo, as she realized the intent of Luna and the guards, “Pleth hep.” Kibitz looked back at her, tears freely flowing from his eyes. “I am sorry, my Princess,” the unicorn said, sorrow in his heart and on his face, “but this is for your own good. Please...just let your sister prepare you for your journey.” The drug stole the last of Celestia’s strength and her head began to sink uncontrollably to the table. Luna caught her sister at the last moment and pulled Celestia’s limp body against her own, gently wedging the bridle’s bit between Celestia’s teeth and safely keeping her tongue in place. Celestia felt Luna fusing the straps of the bridle together around her head and she lifted pleading eyes to her sister, begging Luna to let her go. “I know that one day you will forgive me for this, sister,” Luna said, looking into Celestia’s expressive eyes that were beginning to unfocus and close under the sedative’s power. “I can only hope that one day I will be able to forgive myself.” Celestia’s eyes closed, and the Princess of the Sun was rocked to sleep in the hooves of her sister. Some unknowable length of time later, Celestia woke with a sudden gasp and jerked herself to a sitting position. Heart rate slowing, she looked around the room she found herself in. It was a square chamber, dimly lit, and she was on a large bed that took up a good portion of the room. There was a single, solid looking wooden door that was the exit to the room. The walls and floors both looked to be of worked stone, the floors covered in comfortable looking throw rugs while the walls were bare for the most part. The only exception being a few ominous appearing metal rings bolted to the wall and a single body length mirror. There was a nightstand beside the bed and Celestia could make out a small lamp on it in the dim light. Celestia tapped the lamp with a hoof and the magically powered light immediately flared to life, highlighting the golden shackle wrapped around the fetlock of her outstretched limb. Celestia brought it up to her face to have a closer look and only then realized she was still bridled, the bridle now having an attached muzzle that was keeping her jaws closed on the bit that she could feel with her tongue. Carefully, she felt around her head with her hooves, tracing the straps of the bridle. There were no buckles, locks or joins that she could feel, and the padded straps seemed to have been woven about her head giving no obvious method to remove them. Celestia tried to summon her magic to remove the bridle, but her horn may as well have been dead bone for all the good it did. Huffing out a breath in frustration the captive alicorn made to examine her shackles next. The cuffs on her forehooves were both wrapped around her fetlocks and fit her with absolute perfection, being precisely shaped to the limb they curled around. Like the bridle, they were also seamless, with no hint of lock or hinge and also like the bridle they were barely even noticeable. Celestia felt a chill come over her as a terrible suspicion came to her mind and she flung the rest of the covers off of her. As the length of Celestia’s snow white body was revealed, the alicorn’s suspicions were confirmed as she saw that her rear legs bore shackles identical to those on her forelegs. Worse, a harness had been wrapped around her body, and she hadn’t even felt its seamless straps and joins as they lay against her fur. Celestia recognized the harness as similar to those worn by cart ponies and other hard workers, and she knew that such harnesses were made so they would not slip off even during the most strenuous activities. There was only one reason Celestia could think of for her bondage to fit so well, so comfortably, and to have no visible means of removal, namely that she was meant to be wearing them for a long time to come. Celestia couldn’t avoid making the small whine of despair that emerged through her muzzle as she took in all that had happened to her. Betrayed by her sister and those she trusted, only to wake up imprisoned and bound in some sort of dungeon. At least it is a fairly comfortable dungeon, Celestia thought to herself, as she pushed despair at her situation away from her thoughts. She wiped the beginning of a tear away from her eyes and got out of bed as the demands of her body began to make themselves known. There was a small side alcove in the room behind the bed that held a garderobe, and as Celestia made use of it she saw there was a note fastened to the wall beside it. Princess Celestia, When you are up to it, please step out of your room. There will be an escort waiting to bring you to me for a meal and a chat. I’m sure you are full of questions right now and I will do my best to answer them for you. I’m also sure you would appreciate having your muzzle and the bit of your bridle removed. Respectfully, M.C. Celestia read the message three times, trying to parse every nuance of meaning she could from the message. Whoever it was that was holding her, they obviously had resources, were competent and were confident that Celestia was fully in their power. Celestia’s enforced sleep had left her feeling energized and she longed to kick down the door, trample whoever was there and make a run for it. If they’ve gone so far as to coerce my sister in working for them, Celestia thought, as she remembered the sorrow and regret both Luna and Kibitz had displayed as they had betrayed her. Then they will definitely be prepared for a panicked rush to escape. Celestia mustered all the dignity she could and pushed open the wooden door that led into her cell. Beyond the doorway was a corridor of medium width and made of dressed stone, well lit by several magical torches that gave off light but little heat. As Celestia stepped into the corridor she was immediately greeted by a pair of pegasus stallions wearing form fitting purple uniforms with a lightning bolt motif and face covering hoods with goggles. Shadowbolts! Celestia thought to herself, but she kept herself impassive as she nodded to the minions of evil. “Hello, Princess,” the lead Shadowbolt said, and then he did something which shocked Celestia. He saluted her, with all the precision of a Canterlot parade ground. “I’m Damned Age, Ma’am, and if you will follow me, I will escort you to where the Mistress is waiting for you.” Celestia nodded again and made a sort of ‘after you’ gesture and Damned Age led off down the corridor, Celestia following in his wake and his partner taking up station behind Celestia, neatly boxing her in between the two of them. For the next few minutes the trio walked through the stone corridor, their regular steps making a steady beat against the stone floor as the group passed several wooden doors similar to the one where Celestia had awoken and she wondered if other prisoners languished behind them. Despite the lack of obvious ventilation sources the air was fresh and clean with regularly spaced lights keeping things well lit, and enabling Celestia to easily see where she was going, which again spoke to the resources of her captor or captors. Finally, the trio neared a stone archway and Celestia could feel a fresh breeze flow past her cheek and her ears twitched as she heard birdsong nearby. Damned Age peeled off to one side as he entered the room beyond the archway and he indicated that Celestia should sit by a table that occupied part of the brilliantly lit room. Doing as she was bid, the mare sat at the large mahogany table and took a moment to look around. The table at which she sat was at the bottom of a wide, deep shaft of worked stone. The stone shaft itself was thirty or more feet wide at the base where she was and looking up she could not see the top as the walls disappeared into the bright glare of the sun overhead. A tree, ancient by the look of it, grew near the table and spread its branches into a natural canopy overhead and provided the roosting places of the songbirds that Celestia had heard as she entered. Cool air rushed past her in a steady breeze smelling of light and life in the little manufactured glade. “Lovely, isn’t it?’ a voice asked Celestia, jerking her out of her reverie. Celestia looked across the table to see a bat pony seating herself at the table across from Celestia. The other mare was also dressed in the uniform of the infamous Shadowbolts, and even with that body covering costume Celestia could tell that the mare across from her was unusual indeed. Not only was she a bat pony, but her leathery bat wings were bright yellow in colour, which was very strange in a tribe that was nearly universal in its dark colouring. “Hello Princess,” the newcomer said. “I’m known as Mistress Cuddles and I’m in charge of this facility. Before we go any further, I would like to remove your muzzle and bit, if you would allow it.” Celestia thought for a moment and then nodded her head. The bat pony smiled and came around the table. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to be reasonable, Princess,” Cuddles said, reaching up toward Celestia’s head. Celestia felt, rather than heard, a couple of snaps and a moment later she felt the bit being pulled out of her mouth. She worked her jaws for a few moments as Cuddles lay muzzle and bit on the table. “Please don’t try to say anything yet, Princess,” Cuddles said, ringing a small bell she pulled from a pocket of her uniform. Immediately a pair of earth ponies, dressed as maids, approached the table from behind the tree, pulling a pair of serving carts with them. Without a word, the pair began to lay out food that consisted of a tray of small sandwiches, a tureen of mushroom soup and a tall pitcher of juice. The servers finished their routine by pouring a pair of tall glasses of juice with straws, nodding respectfully to both Cuddles and Celestia, and then leaving. “Choose either glass, your Highness,” Cuddles said. “I will drink from the other first, to show you that they are neither poisoned nor drugged, you need the liquids before you try to talk.” Celestia picked a glass and immediately started drinking from it, reasoning that if this “Mistress Cuddles” wanted her drugged or poisoned she would already have done it. Cuddles, for her part, just smiled and drank from the glass Celestia had left behind, calmly waiting until Celestia finished her drink. “I have...” Celestia paused, clearing her throat before continuing, “I have several questions. Your note said you would be willing to answer them.” “Indeed I am,” Mistress Cuddles said, ladling out soup from the tureen into a pair of wide shallow bowls. “Which bowl would you like?” “For the duration of this conversation, Mistress Cuddles, I’m going to assume that you do not intend to kill me with poison or drug me unconscious again,” Celestia said, in the voice of a professional diplomat. It was a voice that sounded reasonable and open, but in reality revealed nothing about the speaker other than their words. “That would be correct, your Highness,” Cuddles said, pleasure in her voice. “I have no intention of drugging you at this meeting, however in the interest of the truth I promised you, I will tell you that during your time here you will be drugged on a regular basis.” Celestia shot a glance at her now empty juice glass. “And what will be the nature of these drugs that you intend to force on me,” Celestia asked, in that same professional voice even as a flame of anger kindled to life in her heart. “You will be dosed regularly with a drug that makes it impossible for you to draw upon, or manipulate magic in any way,” Cuddles said. “We will do our best to keep it from being intrusive so long as you do not attempt to fight us.” “What will happen if I resist your attempts to drug me?” Celestia asked, her voice becoming a bit heated as the growing fire inside her spread to her voice. “You will be swarmed under, subdued, bound, and the drug forced into your system,” Cuddles sighed and she almost sounded regretful to Celestia. “Please do not force us to that, Princess Celestia. All of us would regret it.” “I promise nothing, but I do appreciate you at least being open about your intentions,” Celestia said, fighting to reduce her anger to a low burn. “Next question: Do you intend to kill me?” To Celestia’s surprise, Cuddles laughed, and the motion caused the hairs of a pink mane to emerge from the top of the uniform she wore. “Oh my, no,” Cuddles assured Celestia quickly. “We intend to do everything in our power to ensure that you have a long and healthy life.” Celestia’s heart froze as she realized that she knew, or at least had a good idea, what the true identity of “Mistress Cuddles” actually was, and she tried to cover her realization by bending down and taking a long slurp of the soup from her bowl. It was wonderful, thick and creamy, brimming with wild mushrooms of various sizes and delicately seasoned with just a hint of black pepper and thyme. “This is an excellent soup,” Celestia said, somewhat surprised and letting it show in her voice. “And I think you can guess my next question, can’t you?” “If we don’t intend to kill you, what are our plans for you?” Mistress Cuddles said, by way of answer. “I can imagine that several possibilities are going through your mind. That we are holding you for ransom, that we intend to sell you, that we are using you as leverage over your sister, that we have designs on your body, perhaps. The truth is none of these.” “Go on,” Celestia prompted, managing to scoop up one of the small sandwiches on the table. She bit into it and her taste buds were greeted with the simplistic perfection of a watercress sandwich, done to a quality that would do any restaurant proud. “Princess,” Mistress Cuddles said, pausing for a moment as she marshaled her thoughts, “you are suffering from a disease. One that has been slowly eating away at your strength, your power, and your ability to rule.” “I am as strong as I ever was,” Celestia said, the anger in her rekindling at even the suggestion that she was somehow reduced in strength. “With respect Princess,” Cuddles said, in the voice of a teacher speaking to a particularly dense pupil. “You are not, and many of your subjects have begun to notice it.” “How dare you!” Celestia said, in an angry raised voice, shocked at the insolence she was hearing. “I am Celestia. I have guided the course of ponies and Equestria for centuries.” “You are proving my point, your Highness,” the bat mare said in that same condescending voice as she looked at Celestia’s face intently. “Please, calm yourself before you do something you will regret.” “Something I will regret?” Celestia asked with incredulous anger, fury in her eyes, ears pinned back. “You are the one who has done something to regret, and I am going to make you regret it, RIGHT NOW!” Celestia shouted the last as she leaped over the table toward Mistress Cuddles, body stretched out in a tremendous leap as Celestia focused her power and strength on smiting the insolent creature who dared cage the sun. Time slowed for Celestia, every motion was perfect, every sinew just so, as she focused on her target. Who began to slip out of Celestia’s path with impossible speed, and Celestia suddenly realized that time had not slowed for her, rather it was she who was moving in slow motion. Celestia’s eyes flicked around as Cuddles simply stepped out of her chair and walked to one side. Celestia tried to break herself out of her leap and twist sideways, but it was if once she had begun her leap her body was locked on course through a thick jello that slowed her down to a crawl. Cuddles moved into position beside Celestia, a sad smile on her face, and her leathery wings lashed out at Celestia’s body as it slowly passed, inches at a time. Celestia felt, rather than saw, a series of flashing blows that seemed to strike deep within her, as the hardened tips of the bat pony’s wings found their marks. Four times those butter coloured wings struck, and each time Celestia felt one of her limbs become numb and unresponsive. What seemed like half a minute later, Celestia crashed back to earth as her body reached the chair Cuddles had been sitting in, and time sped back up to a normal pace for her and her body. Celestia crashed into and through the chair, shattering it to pieces even as she fell limply to the floor, unable to control any of her limbs. “You traitorous trollop,” Celestia yelled from her supine position on the floor, her head the only part of her body she could move. “What have you done to me?” “Damned Age,” Mistress Cuddles said, moving to stand over Celestia and ignoring the fallen monarch completely. “I think we will start off with immobilization therapy. Could you and Sand Storms grab the blanket and straps please?” Celestia tried to move, to thrash, to do something, to stop the trio as they gently folded her limbs against her body, pinning them in place with padded straps and then rolling a thick blanket around her several times. By the time Celestia’s limbs began to tingle and respond to her again, it was far beyond too late, as her body was now fully cocooned in the thick blanket, a web of strapping on the outside ensuring that it would not slip or pull away. “You will pay for this!” Celestia shouted, fully lost to helpless rage and using the only weapons she had left under her control, her mouth and horn. She swiveled her head around trying to sink her teeth into Cuddles, or to slash her with her horn, but Cuddles simply moved to above Celestia’s head and proceeded to pin it in place with her hooves. “That will be quite enough of that, your Highness,” Cuddles said in a reproving tone as she jammed the bit back into Celestia’s mouth, relocked it to the bridle and added the muzzle, ensuring Celestia would be unable to bite anypony. Still Celestia tried to struggle against the enveloping bonds and slash somepony with her horn. “Celestia,” Cuddles said, her eyes boring into the vanquished alicorn’s eyes and momentarily stilling her. “Don’t make me add a check rein to your restraints as well. You’ve been under too long for us to drug you back to sleep just now. Don’t force me to make this any more humiliating for you than it already is.” The words seemed to sink into Celestia and she blinked, as it sunk into her just how truly helpless she was. Celestia huffed out a breath and nodded her understanding at Cuddles. “Thank you, Princess,” Mistress Cuddles said, standing up and away from the fallen princess, who now more than anything else, looked like a large, soft burrito. “Damned Age, Sand Storms, if you would be so good as to carry Celestia back to her room, we will try this again tomorrow.” The two Shadowbolts slung poles through the straps securing the Celestia burrito, and using them as stretcher poles carried her off back to her room. “Oh Princess,” Mistress Cuddles said aloud, once Celestia was gone, “please stop making this so hard for us.” “You know it has to be this way,” a voice said, coming from the tree in the chamber. “You offered to do this and take the form you have to save our Princess.” “I know, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Cuddles said, stomping a hoof in frustration. “None of us do, but we are all doing what we have to,” the tree said. “I’ll check in with you tomorrow.” A cloud of purple sparkles flew up from the tree with a rush of wind and silence descended on the tiny glade at the bottom of the shaft.